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HS BASE: West Ranch issues bases-loaded intentional walk, but it works in 8-4 win at Valencia

VALENCIA – An intentional walk with the bases loaded? Don’t say never because not only did it happen Friday, but it turned out to be a great call.

The ever-dangerous Trey Williams was at the plate for Valencia, and after hitting a total of five home runs in two previous baseball games against West Ranch of Stevenson Ranch, the Wildcats wanted no part of him with the bases loaded and a four-run lead in the fifth inning.

“The night before, I had discussed with my coaching what we would do with Trey Williams if he got up there with the bases loaded, and we had decided we would walk in a run,” West Ranch coach Casey Burrill said. “Then, when it really happened, of course we wanted to change it, but we had made a pact, and obviously it worked out.”

It sure did. With no where to put Williams, ace pitcher J.C. Cloney had just entered the game, and after walking him to force in a run, Cloney struck out the next batter to end the inning in an eventual 8-4 victory that pulled West Ranch (15-7, 7-4) to within a game of Valencia (13-9-1, 8-3) for first place in the Foothill League with four remaining.

And if West Ranch needed any reassuring that walking Williams was the right move, on his next at-bat in the bottom of the seventh he tagged Cloney with a 420-foot home run, his ninth of the season and sixth in three games against West Ranch.

“Did I want to pitch to him? Yes and no,” Cloney said. “He can obviously hit, but either way was fine with me.”

Williams has been walked as many as three times in a game this season, but this one he did not see coming.

“I was kind of shocked,” he said.

Cloney had not pitched in 16 days because of a back injury, but he earned the save by pitching the final 2 2/3 innings while striking out five.

It was payback time for West Ranch. A year ago, Valencia twice defeated West Ranch to wrestle away first place, and this year the Wildcats were determined to perform better down the stretch.

“We just didn’t play well today. There wasn’t a lot we did right,” Snyder said.

West Ranch right-hander Ryan Keller (5-2) pitched four-plus innings, and Jared Ortiz extended his season-long hitting streak to 22 games by going 2 for 4 with an RBI. Nick Rusconi added two hits and two RBIs, and pinch-hitter Dakota Hernandez hit a two-run home run.

“It was a big win. If we would have lost, it wouldn’t have just hurt our chances in the Foothill League but in the playoffs, too,” Ortiz said. “It feels good to come back.”

In Williams’ first two at-bats, he lined to center and struck out, finishing 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Shane Zeile added a two-run home run, and Jake Roberge was 1 for 2 with a run and a walk.

West Ranch took advantage of five wild pitches, four walks, two key Valencia errors and a couple of close calls that went its way. Plus, the Wildcats played errorless defense.

Valencia finishes with two games against Saugus next week, followed by two games against last-place Canyon. West Ranch plays Hart twice next week, then closes with a two-game series against Saugus.

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